The official numbers are in and – in spite of what many of us thought was a crazy, at times nasty spring – Quebec maple Syrup production hit record levels this year. The real question is… Will an abundance of Maple Syrup on the market result – as supply and demand dictate – in lower prices?
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What happened?
“We’ve never seen a harvest of this magnitude,” says Serge Beaulieu, president of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers. “Our trees yielded huge amounts of maple water. At times the flow was so strong it was hard to keep up with the boiling. This year’s harvest is a great windfall for our producers, to the tune of $400 million. We have to keep in mind that in the maple syrup industry our income is wholly dependent on harvest volumes. And it all plays out in just a few days of the year.”
How much is that?
So… What exactly is 148 million pounds maple Syrup? It’s enough to fill 24 Olympic-sized swimming pools. That’s 660,430 gallons or 2.500,00 Litres. And it took the sap from 42.7 million tree taps to make it. Now, you know.
What does it mean for Quebec?
First of all, the province easily maintains its status as the largest Maple Syrup producer in the world. About 80 per cent of Quebec’s productions is exported to more than 50 countries around the world.
It also means a (C)$400 million payday for the province’s 7,300 maple Syrup producers.
What does it mean for consumers?
Probably nothing. But it should. The previous production record was set in 2013 – 120 million pounds – and that really didn’t have any noticeable effect on retail prices. The previous record was set in 2013 – 120 million pounds – and that really didn’t have any noticeable effect on retail prices.
Sigh.
~ Maggie J.